1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for the recovery of subterranean deposits and, more particularly, to an arrangement and method for removal of fluid and the production of gas from a desired subterranean formation.
2. Description of Related Art
Subterranean formations often contain desirable fluids and gases that can be used for many applications. Subterranean formations can include but not limited to coal beds (also referred to as coal seams), carbonaceous shales, silicious shales, sandstone, chalk or any target formation containing hydrocarbons.
Coal is a large energy source. It has been mined from the earth for many years. Deposits of coal beneath the ground surface are positioned in generally horizontal coal seams and include substantial quantities of methane gas entrained in the coal deposits. In underground coal mining, methane gas poses a significant safety risk to the miners. In the past, the methane gas entrained in the coal deposits was simply liberated from the coal, mixed with air in the mine which diluted it to a safe concentration, and the mixture was ventilated to the outside environment. The methane was simply dissipated into the environment and provided no meaningful resource. However, in recent years, there has been a thrust to use the entrained methane gas as an efficient energy source and sell it commercially. Typically, the methane gas can be used as a driving source for energy-producing equipment, such as generators or the like, or can be added to natural gas pipelines.
Utilizing the gas as an energy source requires that the gas be extracted in a concentrated state and captured. Extracting methane from the coal seams in a concentrated state has been achieved by drilling boreholes, generally horizontally, into the coal seam that can extend several thousands of feet.
During and after the methane drilling process, dewatering must occur. Since coal seams may have a significant amount of subterranean water associated with them, water must be drained from the coal seam in order to produce the methane. Further, during the drilling process, water may be used at the drilling tip, creating a slurry of drill cuttings, which also must be removed from the borehole. Water and drill cuttings can block the migration of gas through the coal seam to the borehole and therefore must be removed to permit degasification. Additionally, some of the water used in the drilling process can be forced under pressure into the coal seam, further saturating the gas reservoir, which impedes the migration of gas to the borehole. Therefore, dewatering must occur both during the drilling process and after drilling has been completed.
Long, generally horizontal boreholes that remain in the coal seam are the most effective manner to extract and capture the gas entrained in the coal seam. A horizontal well, or horizontal portion of a main well bore may extend over a significant length of the coal seam and intersect multiple natural fractures within the coal seam which provide a passageway for fluid to migrate to the well bore. By “fluid” means all liquids and gases including but not limited to water, brine, chemically entrained liquids, foam, air, nitrogen or hydrocarbons injected into and/or removed from a well.
When drilling horizontal and/or vertical wells targeting low pressure reservoirs containing hydrocarbons, it is desirable to use under-balanced drilling. Under-balanced drilling is a method of drilling a desired subterranean formation, whereby the hydrostatic pressure exerted by a column of drilling fluid in the well bore and/or exiting the drill string tip is less than a natural formation pressure inherent in the targeted subterranean formation. Under-balanced techniques are utilized to prevent damage to the desired subterranean formation and, in particular, low pressure formations. The introduction of air, nitrogen or other gases to the drilling fluids reduces the density of the co-mingled fluids and effectively decreases hydrostatic pressure. Other low-density fluids such as chemical foams and air mists (compressed air and water) may be used as a drilling fluid to achieve an under-balanced condition. The under-balanced environment prevents damage to the formation and facilitates the removal of cuttings and drilling fluids through the curve and vertical sections of the main well bore to the surface, during drilling operations.
One prior art method used to remove desirable fluids is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,000, issued to Zupanick. This method uses both a horizontal well and a vertical well that intersect each other. However, this method utilizes drilling of a large cavity in the vertical well. The enlarged cavity is more costly and requires a longer period of time to construct. The large diameter cavity can induce unstable conditions at the intersections of the horizontal and vertical well bore that causes the exposed coal and/or rocks to fall and accumulate within the cavity or well bore. This accumulation may impair removal of fluids from the cavity or well bore.
Another prior art method used to remove fluids is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0051326 to Toothman, Jr. et al. This method also uses both a horizontal well and a vertical well that intersect each other, wherein compressed air typically injected into the vertical well creates an under-balanced condition during the drilling process. However, the compressed air can also flow into the horizontal laterals in the coal seam of the main well bore and into any other additional laterals that extend from the main horizontal lateral, thus further saturating the gas reservoir which may impede the migration of gas from the formation to the borehole.
The present invention overcomes the above deficiencies by only having one direction that the compressed air can flow, with minimal, if any, air flow into the horizontal laterals extending into the subterranean formation while maintaining an under-balanced condition.